Welcome Home
by Severus' Malfoy Maiden
Summary: Sirius cares and nurses her back to health. Is her love just gratitude or something more? HGSB
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome Home**_

"I can't find Mia." Harry panicked. "Have you seen her?" he asked hopeful

"No. I've been with my mom and Ginny. We had to move Fred." Ron's voice trailed off. Harry's expression fell from panic to sorrow for his friend and the loss they all felt in Fred's death, but was torn in the urgency to find the final third of their trio, "Let's go find her." he motioned worriedly and Ron nodded.

They asked everyone still standing if they had seen Hermione, but to no avail.

"What the hell? There is no one left to fight; Voldemort is gone." Harry fairly shouted in frustration. Ron shrugged his eyes scanning the battle ground littered with bodies of both sides.

They'd been searching for over an hour, when Harry saw a large dog come loping into view then morph into Sirius before his very eyes.

_So strange_ Harry thought, even though he's seen it many times….

"Come with me, Harry. We have a ….problem." Sirius whispered urgently

Harry noted the tension in Sirius' voice and decided denial was a better bet.

"We defeated him! No problems!" Harry said sounding, but not feeling, jovial.

Sirius' brows furrowed, "I need you to come with me, now." Expressing some frustration with his best I'm-your-Godfather tone.

Harry understood the tone and moved to accompany Sirius.

Relieved, Sirius started jogging then morphed into the large dog again.

After what seemed like hours of running…trying to keep up with a dog the size of a small pony, Harry and Ron slowed and the dog walked tentatively to the small form, naked and battered, lying on the grass.

Sirius, as a dog, put his nose to her cheek in an effort to check her temperature – _was she still alive?_

Harry and Ron were deathly still at the thought of their best friend hurt or worse dead. Harry was crying silently as he looked at Hermione's seemingly lifeless form.

Ron couldn't move...he could barely breathe. Dumbledore came out of nowhere to say that Fenrir Greyback was dead then was silent as he watched two thirds of the Golden Trio collapse into anguish and confusion.

_***earlier_

Hermione woke to Fenrir Greyback. Her hands were tied, but she attempted to run anyway. He caught her ruthlessly, effortlessly and clawed down her chest to her stomach and stopped.

She shrieked in pain and shouted threats, but no one heard them. She struggled and fought, but he was too strong.

Fenir always loved a fight. He was incredibly turned on by this feisty little chit. It was then that he flipped her over on her stomach, spread her legs and shoved himself inside of her from the back.

She screamed in pain, both physical and emotional; she couldn't move at first the pain was too sharp. When he pulled out for a moment, she kicked at him and tried to move away, but his arm was around her waist held tight; he pushed forcibly inside of her again.

As she fought him, he beat her brutally; she could barely move.

He was really enjoying this; he had time, no one was around and she felt so good, so tight.

He spilled his seed inside of her twice more, but decided that he wanted to go in the other way and penetrated her backside once also.

He left, after that. She was alone, numb from shock, bloody from the assault and barely aware, mentally, from the distress.

She awoke to a fuzzy black object pressing a cold nose to her cheek.

She jumped up ready to fight and then fell back down so tired and in pain – she promptly fainted.

Sirius backed away when she jumped up, but when she fainted he transformed to human and kneeled at her side.

Harry and Ron jarred out of their fearful immobility snapped out of it and ran over to her as well.

They all noticed her physical state – she was naked, with only the collar of her robes still around her neck.

She was dirty and her hair was matted with mud, blood and Merlin knew what else. She had a nasty looking deep claw mark running from the middle of her neck down her chest to her lower abdomen.

The inside of her thighs were bloody as well as her backside. Her body was full of bruises; her eye was swollen shut, her nose broken and there was another scratch on the side of her face.

They were silent except for Ron, who was sobbing for her….

When she woke up again, she was in the hospital wing with a large black dog lying at her bedside.

She caught sight of movement and relaxed when she realized that it was Madam Pomfrey scurrying over to check on her.

Sirius morphed into...Sirius and smiled. "Hi. Welcome back."

_His smile doesn't reach his eyes? Why doesn't he look at me? …wait, is that a tear?_

"Hi." She croaked. _Wow. Is that my voice? Why am I numb? Why am I here?_ …images flashed in her head…

Sirius watched the range of emotions cross her face from curiosity, anger and finally realization and horror.

_She remembers_. He thought sadly.

A tear….then nothing, but racking sobs shook her whole body; Sirius crawled in behind her and just held her, "shhhhhhh, it's ok. You're safe now. I'm not letting anything happen to you again. I'm so sorry, Mia. So sorry."

"Why… are you, ss-ss-sorry?" she said hiccupping.

"I should have been there. I left you three to chase after Lucius Malfoy… I should've stayed." He said.

"Did you…ggget him?"

He snorted quietly, "Yes, kitten. I got him." the memory bringing an evil smile to his face.

He couldn't believe everything she'd gone through. She left the safety of Hogwarts to search for Horcruxes with Harry and Ron; took care of them, in the middle of nowhere.

She was kidnapped, beaten and suffered the Crucio curse – keeping her wits about her through the pain; fought alongside the Order; kidnapped (_again_), beaten (_again_) and raped by a werewolf; all before she was 20.

His heart ached in sympathy; it would never be the same for her.

_***months later_

Months later, Hermione is lying in her tub _physically_ recovered. Things have gone back to normal…kind of.

Aurors are rounding up the last of the death eaters, school is in session, and Ron and Harry were offered Auror training, which is just unheard of since they're so young. They both accepted the invitation and start in the fall.

She accepted a position with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

She stands up in the bath and looks at her scarred body in the mirror. She knows everyone is aware of what happened to her, though no one speaks of it.

She is sure she was offered the position out of pity. She sighs… _I'll prove myself once I begin_. She thinks.

She's fallen into a comfortable routine; she trains 'unofficially' with Harry in the morning. Both harry and Sirius thought it would be a good idea to help her recover emotionally.

They were right; she feels stronger and has much more energy.

She and Ginny have lunch together most days and sometimes shopping.

Ginny was also offered a job at the Ministry working in the Office of Muggle Affairs; much to her father's delight she accepted the offer instead of returning to Hogwarts. Molly was less than excited, hoping her dear daughter would finish school.

Sirius is always around, either in dog form or human – she's grown used to his companionship…more than that actually.

She steps out of the tub _I'__m ruined, dirty. Ugly… scarred, _she thought scathingly_._

Tears again….

Sniffling…she walks out of the bathroom in her pajamas and into her cozy bedroom that Sirius graciously lets her call her own.

She has a fireplace, a beautiful bed and lovely drapery.

The fire is crackling now and lying in front of it on the large pillow (_one she made for him to sleep on_) is a large dog that looks up at her and snorts. She walks over to snuggle his ears and he promptly flops on his back so she can rub his belly.

He's with her most nights, she feels safe with him there. That Sirius is in dog form is odd, but Hermione doesn't think about that…because if she did, it would be - weird.

She grabs a book and pulls the covers over her. She looks at the dog and pats the space next to her – he snorts again and jumps on the bed flopping down next to her with his head on her lap. She reads as she absent mindedly pets his head and ears.

She doesn't sleep well these days, but it'll get better. She knows it will… it has to.

_***the routine_

This routine lasted the year; then two; then three.

This was year four; Hermione had made a name for herself at work. She was fair, compassionate and an undisputed workaholic.

She didn't date…ever.

She rebuked men's advances towards her and usually thought that if someone was being nice to her it was out of pity. She knew she was dirty and scarred; _who wants to see that?_

She and Sirius talked all the time. She still lived in his home, but they had come to an agreement, she would keep the house clean, cook and keep the cupboards stocked and he would pay for everything else house related.

He had argued hard against her vehemence that he let Kreacher go back to Hogwarts, but in the end he relented and no more Kreacher at Grimmauld Place.

She felt it was a great arrangement; one that she could contribute to.

_He had a live in maid who was deeply in love with him…._she thought dismally.

After the years of the dog, as she called it referring to the first two years; she requested he take human form, she felt comfortable sleeping alone and didn't need his constant companionship.

She chided herself often that she needed to be an adult and move forward.

It was in the two years that followed that she fell madly in love with Sirius Black.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Welcome Home**_

He couldn't leave her; he didn't want to, they had each other.

People had moved on after the war and after the war, when the battle was still fresh in everyone's mind, he committed to caring for Hermione.

She saved his life twice, Harry's twice, Ron's…who knows how many times, Remus' once and even Draco owes his existence to her, but that's not why he dedicated his time, his house, himself… to her. No, his desire to be around her; to know she was inside the same walls as he was, had nothing to do with her saving his life or anyone else's…

Ron doesn't come around much, his excuse was/is that she didn't want him near her, but his friends all thought it was just too much for him – he felt guilty that he wasn't able to protect her.

Hermione still trained with Harry; Ginny and Hermione still had lunch or shopped whenever their schedules allowed, but those times were infrequent as on Ginny's down time was spent with Harry.

Remus came over still, but Tonks demanded more of his time and pulled him back and Draco….well, Draco.

Sirius was completely enamored with her little quirks he thought fondly– he knew she had to have each book in the library grouped by author, then by subject matter and all publishing icons at the bottom.

He loved the sexy look she gets in her eyes when he challenges her during one of their many debates.

She also never walked barefoot in the house, always wore slippers, flipflops or regular shoes

_So many times how I have wanted to touch her beautifully feminine feet..._. _I go out, get drunk with the guys_ – Remus, Harry, the Weasley men, but _I always miss her_.  
He had sex a few times since this whole thing started, but after the first year he came to the realization that he loved her and has been in love with her for the last two years.

Only Remus knew.

He couldn't take it anymore; this year was going to be different.

_***Coffee_

"Good morning, sunshine." He said brightly as she walked in.

"Morning. You're in a good mood this morning. What's that all about?" she asked happy that he was happy.

"Having my morning coffee with you, of course, is something that I look forward to each day." He grinned with a gleam in his eyes.

A snort was all she could muster in response as she turned to fill her cup with the much needed caffeine, even though his words made her heart skip a beat…she owed so much to him, but it was not just gratitude she felt for him; long talks over four years of tears, laughter, debate, drunkenness… (_The last one was on his part only_) and the subsequent hangovers all contributed to her love for him.

She knew him and he knew her. Just as she thought about that, her cup over flowed and she burned herself,

"Bugger!" She dropped her cup and went to run cold water over her thumb.

Sirius startled at the noise "What?"

"I burned myself. I wasn't paying attention…so clumsy!" she berated herself.

He was up and in front of her in an instant. He grabbed her hand and put it in his mouth to soothe the burn.

He sucked on it a bit and then blew on it softly.

He was watching as her eyes darkened to a whiskey brown and her lips opened slightly. _She is beautiful_. He thought mesmerized.

He sucked on her thumb some more and she grabbed the counter for support.

His body was on fire and the bulge in his pants was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

_His eyes can't get any darker – like pools of ink. They're compelling. No wonder women throw themselves at him. He's positively captivating. _

_He should stop this …thing with my thumb. My knees are buckling…. I'm going to have to change my knickers soon…._sigh_. _

Her tummy was doing flip flops and she was panting.

He moved closer feeling the heat of her body. She was wearing her pjs still, one of his old T-shirts. It was huge on her, but damn she looked sexy.

Lovely sculpted legs from her years of training with Harry, flat stomach and her breasts…he could see just a whisper of her nipples through the thin shirt.

He pulled her thumb from between his lips, "better?"

She only nodded, because she couldn't speak at the moment.

She leaned into him a little, almost imperceptibly, but he noticed it and lowered his lips until they were moments away from touching hers.

He could smell her arousal; his nostrils flared with the scent. It only served to make his already hard cock, harder and more painful as it pressed uncomfortably against his pants.

He paused still looking into her eyes and moved his hands to softly graze her nipple gently pinching it behind the thin fabric.

She closed her eyes and arched towards his hand _Please don't stop_ she thought.

He almost melted when she responded so...he wanted to take her right there.

He met her lips in a lovers kiss; she opened her mouth to receive his tongue and arched her back to encourage his hand on her breast.

She was so turned on; she was on the verge of insanity.

He moved closer still his other hand tracing feather light fingertips up her thigh, under the t-shirt and inside the band of her knickers.

The kiss deepened. He swallowed her moan of pleasure and approval.

He slowly slid his hand down to her core his fingers finding her swollen nub.

He cupped her and slipped his fingers inside of her.

She broke the kiss and dropped her head back.

His lips kissed her neck and bit her earlobes. He teased her clit and moved his fingers inside the folds of her wet center.

She opened her legs in desperation; panting in delight.

His motion increased and she was moaning his name and nodding yes. She came with such force he had to hold onto her lest she fall like a sack of potatoes on the floor.

He was still hard as a rock and wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her, but reality came hurling towards him…_I am 20 years her senior, Harry's Godfather, and she trusts me to keep her safe. Remus will kill me. _

_I can't do this._

At this sobering thought, he pulled her to stand.

"I have to go." He said rather abruptly and left.

She almost cried.

She was dirty and scarred – _I don't blame him._

She straightened up and went upstairs to change into exercise clothes; Harry would be here any moment.

_*** all this time_

Harry noticed that she'd been a little 'off' this morning. Something was on her mind.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked as they were exiting the training area

"Nothing." She chirped a bit too quickly.

Harry gave her an exasperated look that told her he wasn't buying it.

"I'minlovewithSirius." She let out in one breath; then holding the next breath waiting for his reaction and ultimate denial at her feelings. _He would of course tell her it was gratitude, blah blah blah_.

To her surprise, "Okay." He said slowly. "Is that why you're off kilter this morning?" He asked.

"Yes and no." he gave her another exasperated look and she continued "This morning, I burned myself and Sirius sucked on my thumb and then his hands …."

"STOP! I don't need that visual." Harry exclaimed. "I get the gist. So what's the problem, exactly?" not really wanting her to go into too much detail, this was his best friend and his Godfather we are talking about here.

_Ewwww_ he thought.

"He just left." She said on the verge of tears. "He didn't want to….because of … because of what happened to me; I'm scarred and dirty; of course he wouldn't want me, but …" She said with a sob. "I just thought…" her voice trailed off.

Harry was shocked at her admission. _Dirty and scarred? What? _It hit him like a ton of bricks. She'd been thinking this … all this time.

"Is this why you don't date? Because you think something is wrong with you? That no one would want you?" He asked her incredulously.

She nodded resolutely

"Merlin, Hermione. There isn't anything wrong with you. You are a beautiful, smart, successful and powerful witch who went through something awful at the end of the war, but you'll make some wizard very lucky some day."

He continued, in earnest "You have to let people in. If not, Sirius then another wizard."

Harry paused for effect, "Think of it from his point of view, he's my Godfather, so probably some sort of fathery-figure to you also. After all he did take care of you for months after…. He's twenty years your senior AND Remus would hex him."

She smiled at the last, _He sure would_.

"You're right, Harry. Thanks." She hugged him and they said their goodbyes and went home to prepare for work.

_Do I just tell him how I feel? _She was still worried about his abrupt departure this morning.

She walked in wearing black cotton training shorts and a black tank top with a hot pink sports bra under.

Sirius was immediately turned on by this. _She was sexy as all get out and even though he pleasured himself this morning with the sweet scent of her still on his fingers – he wasn't satisfied in the least._ He watched her walk to her room and disappear behind the door.

He needed to talk to Remus.

_***The conversation_

After a quick shower and dress, she walked downstairs to a conversation.

They were so involved in this discussion they didn't hear her. So she stopped to listen…_just for a moment._ She thought.

"You need to tell her." Remus urged.

"I can't. She'll hate me." Sirius moaned.

"You may be surprised by her reaction." After a few moments of no response Remus continued "you can't go on like this forever, Sirius."

"I know, Moony. I'll tell her." Sirius sighed.

He had never been more nervous in his life. How was he going to tell her he loved her? That he wanted her to be his and only his.

Hermione swallowed a sob. _He wants me to move out. _

She felt angry at his reluctance to just tell her after all they had gone through; after the anger passed, resignation set in _Maybe__ this _was_ best_. …_It still hurt_.

Lost in thought, she stayed in her spot even after Remus left and didn't hear Sirius get up.

"Mi? What are you doing? How long have you been there?" He asked a little worried

She sighed with a sob and a silent tear "long enough to know that you are too much of a coward to just tell me that you want me to move out! I'll get my things by lunch!" and with that, she apparated to work.

"What? NOOOO!" He screamed. She was gone.

"Fuck. Now what am I going to do?" he asked himself. He couldn't let her leave.

_Great_. He thought to himself _the great Sirius Black; sexy, rich, devil-may-care bachelor extraordinaire wrapped around the axle about some little witch 20 years younger moving out-albeit the witch in question was beautiful, brilliant and kind, but still. Oh how the mighty have fallen_… he sighed.

Hermione was embarrassed. _Of course he wanted to move on with his life. He was still young, handsome, rich and single. He couldn't bring women home with her there, which would just be strange. She needed to apologize to him for her temper tantrum this morning and just clear the air. They were still friends_ – she would love him from afar, but she needed him in her life.

She flooed in at lunch. "Sirius?" she yelled.

"I'm here." He said from the seat in the corner startling her. "Please don't move out." He said quietly. "I like having you here."

She was touched, but she knew he was just being nice. "Sirius, I apologize for my rather petulant tantrum this morning. I had no right to eaves drop and certainly no right to call you names. You need to get on with life and stop taking care of me. I understand. You can't bring women here with me in the other room.

I don't expect you to put your life on hold for me; you have been more than patient. And words can't express my appreciation to you. I just need a few days to find a place of my own." She hugged him and walked away silently sniffling.

Tears again, this was the saddest day…until she actually moved out, then _that_ day would be sadder she expected.

The second part of the day flew by in a haze.

Sirius wasn't around so she made a sandwich and went up to bed. She took a shower, grabbed a book to read and eat her sandwich. She soon drifted off to sleep, which was troubled by nightmares and images of war.

_She was running calling for anyone to help, but here were only eyes staring back at her. No one would help. "WHY WON"T YOU HELP ME?" she screamed at them._

_Finally, she saw Ron and Harry. "Please help me and reached out for them." They only sneered at her. "You're dirty and hideous. No. you deserve this."_

_She cried and cried, and turned just in time to see Fenrir Greyback advancing on her with a sinister smile on his face. _

She awoke with a start…

"shhhhshhs" Sirius crooned softly. "It's ok. I'm here now" he rocked her.

"What happened?" she hiccupped.

"You were screaming for help. I came in to find you crying in your sleep."

She vaguely remembered the terror. It was then that she noticed how sweaty she was and that her heart was just now going back to normal.

He was sitting behind her with his arms around her rocking her and whispering in her ears words of comfort.

She could feel his breath on her neck and relished his strong arms around her waist; he wasn't wearing a shirt…. _Well that's distracting_ she thought.

They sat rocking and she felt so safe, warm, and comfortable that she started to drift off to sleep again.

"Are you ok now?" He whispered she nodded. He started to lay her back down and leave, but, she caught his wrist lightly.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked softly.

He nodded and went to transfigure into a dog….

"As a human. As you, Sirius."

"Are you sure?" he asked nervously.

"Yes."

He walked over and lifted the covers; he noticed that she wasn't wearing pajamas, only a pair of pretty pink knickers.

He paused and slid in next to her anyway.

"Sirius?"

"hmmm?"

"I don't want to move out."

"I don't want you to, love." He responded, his arms encircling her small form.

"What if you find someone... someone you want to be with forever? What do we do?" she asked him, hoping he didn't hear the strain in her voice or feel the tears on her face.

"I already found someone and I would like to marry her." He said…smirking a little.

"Oh. Can I meet her? Is she ok with me being here?" She asked almost in hysterics

"Mi, Are you really asking me these questions? I love YOU. I don't want you to ever leave me. I couldn't breathe without you near me." he whispered in her ear and licked her ear lobe.

She was openly crying now – so happy. "You didn't answer me." Sirius said.

"You didn't ask a question." She quipped, smiling.

He laughed out loud, "Kitten, Will you marry me?"

"Yes." She purred.

He moved so that he could see her face and look into her whiskey brown eyes.

He traced his finger along her jaw, down the slope of her neck, when he reached her scars she stiffened.

He bent to kiss the top of each one.

"You're beautiful." He murmured.

She sighed and he continued his adoration of each scar down to her breasts. At that, he cupped one pinching the nipple and taking the other into his mouth.

She gasped and arched her back.

He could smell her arousal and soon the heady scent of her pulled him downward until his lips met her nether lips in a passionate kiss.

He sucked, nipped and penetrated her wet flower until she couldn't stand it anymore. He moved his tongue inside her as his thumb circled her nub…making her crazy.

He bit her inner thigh and she cried out.

He continued nipping her thighs and bottom until he reached her other opening; the tight star beckoning him; he immediately penetrated it with his tongue and she bucked underneath him.

"oooohhhhhh. Ooohhh, Sirius! YES! Don't stop. Don't stop!"

He was licking her and fingering her and he was also as hard as a rock, but she tasted so good.

It was time.

She was panting and crying for more of him, he positioned himself over her and buried his cock in her tight folds.

"Oh... You feel so good. Warm, wet, tight. Oh Mi." he groaned with pleasure.

He pumped slow and steady. Pulling almost all the way out and pushing back into her warmth. Her thighs spreading apart and her hips arching to meet his thrusts; he lifted up briefly to watch his member disappear into her folds.

He lifted his head to meet her heated gaze and lowered his lips to hers as they moved together rhythmically.

She tasted herself on his lips, provoking her to suck and nip at his mouth.

He moaned at her vigor and thrust harder, "Yes, Sirius, harder."

He pulled out and looped her legs over his arms and dove inside her. She gasped and nodded unable to speak.

He pistoned inside and out of her feeling that pressure build; she came first, her walls clenching around him milking him of his release.

Afterwards, they lay in each other's arms.

"I love you, Mi. And have for so long."

"Are you serious?" she asked him thoughtlessly then realized her mistake almost immediately

"Why, yes, I am." He laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Welcome Home: epilogue**_

_**Six months later**_

"Hermione Granger, Do you willingly and being of sound mind bind yourself to Sirius Black until death do part you?"

"I do." She said placing the ring on Sirius' finger and watching the magical officiate cast the binding spell over their joined hands. Blue ribbons of magic glowed brightly and then faded after a moment.

"Sirius Black, Do you willingly and being of sound mind bind yourself to Hermione Granger until death do part you?"

"I do." He said as he placed the ring on her finger and watched at white ribbons glowed and then faded.

"Then, May I introduce, Sirius and Hermione Black. You may kiss your bride Sirius."

_**Six weeks later**_

"I'm pregnant."

THUD.

"Sirius?... SIRIUS!" She yelled and ran to the unconscious form.

"What happened?" Harry asked running into the room after hearing her scream.

She snorted, "He fainted. I think the news was just too much for his old heart."

"Old?" the figure on the floor grunted making his godson and his wife laugh.

_**Ten months later…..**_

"PUSH, kitten! Just one more time." He urged her

"You said that last time, Sirius." His name left her lips through clenched teeth.

He grimaced, "I know, but we can see her head." He smiled the kind of smile only a proud papa could accomplish.

With a whoosh she pushed until she couldn't push anymore. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was both exhausted and excited.

"There she is! …and that jet black hair." Laughed the nurse.

"Hermione, push one more time honey, something is not right." The nurse said urgently.

"….and a boy! TWINS! 3 minutes and 4 seconds apart! Congratulations!" as the nurse left to clean them off.

Mi and Sirius looked at each other and smiled, "twins." She said, crying.

"Twins." He confirmed.

He hugged her and felt like the luckiest man alive at that moment.


End file.
